I am trying to trace the service history of my great uncle Rupert Aloysius McFadden who was born in 1886. The only information I have is from his WW1 medal card which shows he served in the Royal Field Artillery (no.1748) as a Gunner and also the Tank Corps (no.2000620). He was given the War Medal and Victory Medal, but I have very little else to go on. My father as a small boy remembers seeing him during the war with a motorbike and he survived the war. I did read somewhere that his group of Tank Corps numbers were transferred in from the RFA and mention was also made of the Machine Gun Corps, but I can find no records.
Any pointers would be very welcome, as I am visiting France soon to visit the tank battlefields of WW1.
Thanks.
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25-02-2018, 10:01 AM #1
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Rupert McFadden - Tank Corps and RFA
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25-02-2018, 3:42 PM #2
Sadly, his service records seem to be among the more than 60% of WW1 service records that were destroyed in the fires of WW2.
One thing that you could do is to to track down the War diaries of the 2 Regiments and see where they were and what they were doing 1916-1919 (since he didn't have the 1914/15 Star, we know he didn't get to the Front until the start of 1916).
I think he was RFA first, then the Tank Corps. They moved the men around as units became short handed.
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25-02-2018, 4:29 PM #3
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- Feb 2018
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- Eastbourne
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Thanks, I guessed that was the case. However, with the RFA having over 200 brigades and the Tank Corps 26 battalions, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack and the chances of him being named in the war diaries are probably very slim.
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25-02-2018, 5:38 PM #4
You’re right, they only tend to name he higher officers, but at least you would know where they were.
I’ve since seen that his medal card doesn’t say which parts of the regiments he was with, you’re right...
Mind you, it’s surprising how often something turns up. S9 etimes even years after you’ve posted your query!
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